The art of war teaches to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chances of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our own position unassailable.

Sun Tzu , The art of war : 500 BC.

- First, you must know the enemy when planning. - Second, you must develop your plan keeping the enemy foremost in mind. -Third, you must war-game your plan to enhance your ability to develop or adjust the plan once enemy contact is made.”

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf 1988

WHAT IS WAR GAMES ?• The WAR GAMES is a workshop in which BAT & Agency ‘role-play’

competition and engage in ‘scenario-planning’ done with the participation of Brand, Agency, Trade, CORA & Legal.

• It can be done over two days or in a single day, where first half of the conference is ‘wearing the competition’s hat’ and developing plans to attack BAT & the second half is about switching back to BAT‘ and understanding ‘implications and developing ‘counter-measures’.

• It has three stages as below :

Stage Purpose

1- PREPARATION & PRE-

READING

( before the conference)

- Investigating the enemy (all possible aspects)

2- MEETING AND BREAK-

AWAY SESSION

( At the conference)

-Getting to know the enemy

- Turning the information into intelligence

3- ACTION PLAN

( At conference & beyond)

- Formulating action for the future

WHEN & WHY DO WE NEED A WAR GAME?Thinking ‘outside-in’ vs ‘inside-out’ /// Role-playing the competition

‘On the feet’ Thinking /// ‘Scenario-planning’ /// When you need ‘focus’ and ‘team-effort’

WHEN & HOW DOES ONE USE WAR GAMES ?

VIETNAM INDIA**

RUSSIA

Simulate ‘entry strategy and heightened competitive activity in VFM seg.

Brands modeled: JET, WINSTON, GOLD COAST

Output generated was dual: ‘short-term’ tactics// long-term plays

Competitive overview simulation to understand competitive plays

Brands modeled: Marlboro, Winston, Parliament, ESSE

Output generated was used as input in 2010 Co Plan

Simulate ‘entry strategy of PMI in INDIA and their approach to brands, trade and Pricing

Brands modeled: PMI (More of a macro- company exercise)

Output generated was used to develop ITC’s 5 year plan.** adopted by Bates141 India

Simulate PMI strategy and their approach to building their brands in Brazil

Brands modeled: Marlboro, L&M, SHELTON

Output was a portfolio approach leading to brand plans to defend Souza cruz’s share of market

BRAZIL

/// ‘Letting your hair loose’ /// ‘ All work and no play makes jack a dull boy’ ///

OTHER BENEFITS OF WARGAMES

/// ‘A day in the life of your enemy /// A creative twist to a competitive analysis ///

/// ‘Team effort’ /// ‘ Extended Brand team’ ///

/// ‘Company wide engagement on beating the competition’ ///

Discussions-Debates-Cross functional collaboration

‘EVERYONE IS A PRESENTER’

/// ‘ Rewards and Recognition’///

/// ‘ Its all about branding and merchandising’///

WHEN & WHY DO WE NEED A WAR GAME?

WHEN & WHY DO WE NEED A WAR GAME?

Feedback

Natalia Pavlova - Head of Mainstream Brands BAT Russia

“ We don’t have many opportunities to seat ALL at the same table, and I’m glad to see all this

debates that shows our passion for the business – Thank you Ogilvy for this opportunity””

Octavian Dascalescu – Marketing Director BAT

“ Now I can truly recognize the true spirit of the Agency Value Chain – Well done”

Abeer Chakaravarthy GM BATES KOLKATTA

"The War Games helped our client ITC develop a comprehensive strategic plan to counter the potential threat from PMI's formal entry into India. Needless to add, it boosted the agency's equity with ITC dramatically."

Rafaela Alves - Exclusiveness & Sophistication segment manager Souza Cruz

“When Ogilvy first approached us with the idea of the war games workshop, It seemed like a good idea. Am glad we went

ahead with it as the debates and discussions during the workshop have been very useful, in developing our plans.””

SM Ahmad – EVP ITC

‘War Games was a marketing milestone at ITC as it cut across all functions and brought together senior managers from all departments - from Research to Legal to HR to trade Marketing to brand Marketing - to develop an integrated plan to combat PMI in India. Am equally delighted that BATES and OGILVY have helped bring international best practices and apply them in order to serve ITC better.

WHEN & WHY DO WE NEED A WAR GAME?

For more information on how War games can help you outsmart, outwit and outperform your competition,

write to mahesh.neelakantan@ogilvy.com or call + 60 122 139 713